


Who Would Have Thought Those Books Would Even Sell?

by Idishi



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: DH compliant, Gen, Golden Trio, Happy Ending, Hogwarts Faculty, Plot Bunny, Post-Canon, half blood prince
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-07
Updated: 2017-02-07
Packaged: 2018-09-22 18:26:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9619745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Idishi/pseuds/Idishi
Summary: After the addition of new instructional books by a mysteriously named author, Hogwarts finally gets an overhaul of its curriculum, long overdue.And someone finally gets his due, in a good way, also long overdue.





	

"That's it. The new list of set books will be updated in time for the students' letters to be sent out by the school owls."

 

"Thank you, Aurora," Minerva McGonagall put down her tea cup delicately and leaned back. Being Headmistress was overwhelming, but she didn't envy Aurora Sinistra's position as Deputy Headmistress in the slightest. "Are you sure these new books will be much different from the standard ones we have used for the last few years?" she asked.

 

The Astronomy professor nodded enthusiastically. "They're perfect for the updated curriculum we've been pushing for. I actually spent much time looking for just the right course material even before Minister Shacklebolt approved the new educational reform. I've gone through them myself, and I'm sure that the students will appreciate the new textbooks."

 

"And what of these?" Minerva pointed with her finger at the parchment between them. "The name is odd. Should we not abide by the Hogwarts tradition of using books written by well-known authors?"

 

After all, the traditional set books were written by celebrated intellectuals such as Bathilda Bagshot, Newt Scamander and Emeric Switch.

 

"You mean The Half Blood Prince?" Aurora smiled. "Sure, it's a funny name to call oneself, but the man's a genius. You'd know it once you've read a page of his books."

 

"Unless he's a she, hiding behind the pseudonym," Minerva interjected with a smirk. "But there it is. A person whose identity we cannot even confirm. Are you sure it would be wise to use such material?"

 

Aurora sighed dramatically. "Yes, Minerva, I'm positive that these new textbooks will help the students understand their lessons better. It's about time we left behind those old, boring texts that put our students to sleep, don't you think?"

 

"I hope you're right. Well, that's all I wanted to talk about today, so I daresay you're free to spend the rest of your time relishing the last few days we'll have before term begins."

 

The Astronomy professor laughed before excusing herself and closing the Headmistress' door behind her.

 

"Interesting changes this year," said a gentle voice from behind her.

 

"That's right, Albus," Minerva answered without turning toward the portrait. "Times _are_ a-changing."

 

***

 

The Headmistress' Office was quiet that evening. Most of the portraits, accustomed to this nightly occurrence, were away visiting their other paintings.

 

"Does the name sound familiar to you?" Dumbledore's portrait suddenly asked out loud, voice echoing in the mostly empty room.

 

No answer came. But it wasn't as if he was expecting one.

 

***

 

When the first term ended, and the students had gone to spend their holidays with their families, the Hogwarts staff assembled for their bi annual Term Review.

 

It was all good news.

 

"Aurora, how ever did you hear about this line of textbooks?" Filius Flitwick asked excitedly. "My students have never been this quick at understanding the magical theory behind even the most basic Charms work!"

 

"Well, I did get several requests from students over the summer. Apparently, these books had only been published as a supplement for school-age children, nothing more. When I read them, however, I saw that they were much better suited for actual course books."

 

"I say," another professor piped in, "After the gloom that has surrounded my subject for the last decade, the kids are finally learning the subtle art of Potion-making with nary a spill or explosion. It's a miracle!"

 

"To be honest," someone in the back piped up, "given the er, history of that subject's professors, a huge improvement was to be expected thanks to you."

 

The new potions professor blushed. "Oh, well there's still much I attribute to that text. I'm sure Professor Snape had his own… talents and circumstances… but regardless, whoever this Half Blood Prince is, he is my personal hero!"

 

***

 

Ron collapsed on the couch, using his arm to shield his eyes when he lay his head back in exhaustion.

 

"Wow!" he exclaimed. "Who knew rewriting notes would be so bleeding tiring?!"

 

Hermione threw a wadded piece of parchment at him. "You're sitting on a small fortune and you're complaining? You've barely done any real transcription!"

 

The redhead pouted. "Not true. I've done about the same as Harry."

 

The bespectacled man in question raised his head and lifted an eyebrow to match. "Really? Are we getting into this again?" he asked with some amusement, because this had been going on for the last five years.

 

"Whatever," Ron argued. "This chapter's done, so we can take another break."

 

This time, even Hermione smiled at her husband's antics. "Alright," she acquiesced, she herself feeling the signs of exhaustion from hours of going through Professor Snapes old Potions notes.

 

Harry leaned back into his chair, trying to stretch out the kinks in his back. "Funny, eh?" he suddenly said. "Never thought we'd be like this."

 

"Like what?' asked Hermione, though Harry already knew that she _knew_.

 

"You know," he answered anyway. "Living this peaceful life. No one knows who's behind the Half Blood Prince books, and we've got so much royalties to split among us that we won't ever have to work a day again. No violent Auror raids…"

 

"No crazy training," said Ron.

 

"No useless entry-level jobs in the ministry," said Hermione.

 

"Right," Harry nodded. "So yeah. Never thought we'd live this kind of life. Hermione, I think this has been your greatest idea yet."

 

The witch beamed at him, her smile lighting up the room, which was only one of the many rooms they had in their joint Manors and estates. "Thank you. I thought so, too."

 

Ron threw back her piece of parchment at her, before getting to his feet and yawning. The other two followed suit, leaving their work as is. (A life of leisure meant they could do that anyway. No nine-to-five job, or nagging bosses, or gossipy coworkers. Just a lot of reading, fun experiments and pranking Ron whenever he fell asleep while working.)

 

Walking down the breezeway towards the large gazebo that connected their homes, they fell into light conversation.

 

Under the gazebo's hexagonal roof, Harry could see his wife and sons already waiting. Likewise, the ginger brood he lovingly called his own was also waiting for them.

 

"You think Snape would have liked what we're doing?" Harry asked his best friends. "I mean, _it's Snape_ we're talking about."

 

"After five years, you still need to ask?" Hermione glanced curiously.

 

"I don't think he would've minded," Ron offered. "I mean, he was great big, batlike git, but he had his heart _almost_ in the right place."

 

"Yeah," Harry nodded, thinking of the proud Potions Master, so brilliant and heroic and bitter. "Yeah, I suppose." he said, because he had nothing else to say.

 

_***_

 

At the Headmistresses' office, the portraits were all gone, attending the usual school-wide meeting before term was to start.

 

All except for one portrait, so often conspicuously empty, now filled with the figure of a man swathed in the darkest of dark robes, hunched over the desk in his frame, staring at the pile of successful books on McGonagall's desk.

 

On the covers were the words he had long kept for himself, never thinking it would be whispered by other people with reverence and adoration on their lips.

 

A quick look around to ensure all the other headmaster portraits were still gone, before Professor Snape allowed himself a single smile, and a single tear.

 

A happy one.

 


End file.
